Nathan

Year 2850 | Month 12 | Day 17

Days pass since we start to begin our preparations. And finally, I get word from the scouts.

Telling me that everything is ready.

I grin from within my lab at that before getting dressed and leaving, speaking through the communication device on my wrist in the process, “Then let’s get this underway.”

“Roger that, sir,” one of my magician subordinates declares. Before backtracking and stating, “I mean Your Majesty.”

That wipes the grin from my face, but I’ve given up on correcting them. In fact, I was told not to correct them and to just let them call me that.

Helps for morale. And it’s not like I’m not already planning to become their king. Sorta.

All things considered, if this plan works out, I could very well be ending up taking control of the inner ring and calling it my own territory. Just officially instead of technically.

I step out of my home with Incendia quickly catching up and landing on my shoulder. Then I proceed to let the guards lock my doors as I head straight down the hall towards the main administrative offices of the Undying Caverns.

Everyone I pass by along the way either kneels down or bows at my passing. But I don’t pay them any mind as my own mind is focused solely on the upcoming plan.

It can’t fail. Because if it does, I might end up spending decades locked in a lab being experimented on, never being able to see Mom or Dad again in their lifetimes.

Assuming the bag of bones doesn’t save me, that is.

I clench my fist as I proceed to move faster. Then I arrive at the office where I find Claire buried under a pile of paperwork.

The moment I step inside of her office, she shoots to her feet and salutes me, placing her fist across her chest as she practically shouts, “Your Majesty!”

“The preparations are ready. I’m going to be heading out,” I tell her while stopping a meter in front of the doorway, inside her office. “Make any last minute preparations you have, because whether for good or for bad, the war will be over within a week.”

Her eyes widen at that before narrowing again with a look of determination crossing her face. Then she nods her head and says, “Yes, Your Majesty! Right away!”

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I nod before turning around and beginning to head towards the entrance of the Undying Caverns.

She’s been a lot more formal with me since that whole ‘everyone deciding to call me Your Majesty’ thing. Treating me like an actual king, or in some cases, a prince. Since there are still the rare few who remain steadfast in their loyalty to the bag of bones.

It makes me feel weird. In more ways than one.

Weird because I’m not used to being treated this way. And weird because I actually miss being treated like a normal person.

Right now, despite how bizarre this is, the only person who acts ‘normal’ around me is the bag of bones and that psychopath. The destruction affinity magician.

Neither of whom are good conversation partners.

Then again, I have Incendia now at least. And she’s more important than them by far.

She’s my partner after all.

I reach up to scratch her under the chin for a moment as I walk down the final stretch of the Undying Caverns. Then I step right on outside and begin leaving.

All while soldiers begin running around wildly, preparing to move out as well.

But I’m moving out first.

I was originally against having them fight alongside me for this war. But they ended up convincing me to let them.

And it wasn’t even very difficult for them to do that.

All things considered, they basically just made the argument that if I were to be captured, they would die. Because the nobles won’t let them stay alive after being ruled by me. And even if they did, the other powers of the inner ring – which don’t really amount to much anymore – would swallow them up and treat them rather poorly.

Assuming they didn’t just kill them to take what I have here.

So they’d end up dead or wishing they were dead if I lose anyways.

Why not let them help with that in mind?

Was a very easy decision after that argument.

I clench my fists so hard that I cause my palms to bleed. Only for the blood to be pulled back into my hands as the damage is reversed.

This plan better work.

I shake my head at the thought, trying to put away any doubts of whether it will work or not.

The plan has been in the works for months now. Every single meticulous detail of it, working and working and working during this time.

And technically it isn’t even just starting now. Parts of the plan have been in the works, occurring throughout these months hopefully without the enemy noticing.

This may just be the most thought I’ve put into a single plan of action.

Because I can’t let myself get captured here.

I need to reach Class A to have a chance of beating the Class S magicians back on the mainland. Much less Class B.

At the very least I should be able to be able to freely manipulate mana without a spell circle at Class A. I’ve already started trying to figure it out, even if I haven’t had any success.

And that’s the bare minimum I’ll need to win. Against the Class S magicians of the Republic and the doctor.

My eyes narrow.

Although, that might not help against Artorius.

But he isn’t my priority.

To win against the doctor. Or at least pull one over on him to free Mom and Dad.

And this battle?

This plan?

I feel my bloodlust beginning to go wild as I slowly start to run through the forest towards the edge of the inner ring. Running faster than a human being should be able to. Running even faster than a vampire should be able to, just with my muscles tearing along the way and regenerating.

This is just a stepping stone towards that goal.

An old, rotten tree trunk I need to step over.